“Mike McFadden, a business executive from Sunfish Lake, announced Wednesday that he filed the paperwork to form a campaign committee. He also outlined a campaign message that will focus on education, jobs and reducing the national debt.”

“I mean, we still have this stagnant economy. We have a massive amount of debt. Al Franken has now been in the Senate for four and a half years, and I have not seen any improvement in that,” McFadden said. “And then when I look at education — I think our education system is abysmal.”

He’s been infinitesimally less humorless than Mitch McConnell. The US Congress is a cesspool for the self-serving. That said, as a reasonable centrist with a grasp of policy, Sen. Franken has been perceptibly less toxic than the intransigent right-wing nincompoops.

JQP

exactly the kind of senator I want. and Amy Klobuchar… exactly the senator I want too. they don’t talk about making a difference, they just make one. It isn’t about party. I was a Dave Durenberger supporter.

Steve the Cynic

I like him as a senator. I liked him as a humorist before that. It’s sad he had to suppress his gift for making people laugh in order to be taken seriously in his new role. The country would be a lot better off if Washington could lighten up; it would help reduce the enmity and polarization. It’s hard to vilify someone you laugh with.

Claire

Senator Franken has worked hard for Minnesotans and he has taken up the mantle of progressive politics left by Paul Wellstone. He is a principled and fundamentally good man.

Duane

I do not support him as our senator. I feel he won the election on a recount that was quite questionable. He has supported an administration that has done very little to restore our countries economy and now he is noted as one of several senators that sent a letter to the IRS recommending investigations into conservative groups and their applications for 401C3 applications which is now developing into a big scandal that may take down Attorney General Holder. This scandal, as well as the Benghazi affair as well as the AP and James Rosen illegal wire tapping will haunt Sen. Franken into the next election. I feel his effectiveness to serve this country is finished.

Tom

I usually don’t respond to idiots on here, but Duane you left me no choice. First of all the recount was questionable: why because your guy didn’t win? It was the most transparent and accurate recount in this country’s history. Done little to restore our counties economy? What county do you live in? Are you really saying this economy is as bad or worse than when he took office? Dude you’re blind. The IRS investigation of conservative groups filling 501 C 4, I think you meant: if got your news from sources other than the Onion of Fox News you’d know that a group that files 501 C4 is a not profit group that promotes social welfare and does not engage in primarily politics. They should be investigated because they’re committing tax fraud. Benghazi Congressional Hearings found nothing. You are clueless.

Duane

Tom, Apparently you fail to watch Fox News, the cable network with twice the viewership of the other sites. But if you did you would find the both the Democrats and the Republicans are now calling for Attorney General Holder to resign over the IRS scandal, a matter that Rep Franken will need to respond to because of his letter suggesting review of select conservative groups and that Rep Issa is requesting more information from the new Sec of State.on the Benghazi affair. Now we find that most of the network executive refuse to meet with AG Holder regarding his proposed meeting on the AP and James Rosen matter. I doubt you have the have the full picture of the problems these matters may bring or how its effect on voter suppression may have effected the outcome of recent election.

Tom

And what does any of that have to do with Sen. Franken? Yes I do fail to watch Fox News and MSNBC becuase I want news not partisan news entertainment which is why I come to NPR.

Duane

Tom, If you would reread my prior post, you would see that Sen. Franken, along with several other Democrats, wrote a letter to the IRS asking them to TARGET certain conservative groups which has now led to the IRS scandal that may result in AG Holders dismissal and possible a overhaul of the entire IRS system.

Tom

And if you got your news from other sources than Fox Nexs you would know that the letter to the IRS from Franken and others was asking the IRS to investigate political organizations that were breaking the law by filling a tax exemption status and claiming to be a social welfare organization. PACs are not social welfare organizations and are not allowed to file 501 4C exempt status doesn’t matter if they’re Left Right or Center. It’s tax fraud.

Duane

And why, pray tell, did he specifically want the IRS to investigate certain conservative groups?

Tom

Read the letter dude, for it’s available online. There is no mention of conservative groups in the letter. You’re living inside the bubble where Obama was born in Kenya, Franken stole the election and the IRS is going after conservative groups. Read a paper once and awhile instead of letting the Conservative Media Complex tell you what to think.

diablo135

“I want news not partisan news entertainment which is why I come to NPR.’

Now that’s funny

Steve the Cynic

“…the cable network with twice the viewership of the other sites”? That many lemmings can’t all be wrong, can they?

“At least 341 convicted felons voted in Minneapolis’s Hennepin County,
the state’s largest, and another 52 voted illegally in St. Paul’s Ramsey
County, the state’s second largest. Dan McGrath, head of Minnesota
Majority, says that only conclusive matches were included in the group’s
totals. The number of felons voting in those two counties alone
exceeds Mr. Franken’s victory margin.”

Gary F

Just wait, at some point he will have to testify on what his role was in the IRS targeting conservative groups. Of, course, MPR and the Star Tribune will avoid those questions.

It will get interesting.

Gary F

Look for MPR and the Star Trib to actively campaign for Graves and Franken. The bias will be obvious. WCCO radio is already actively campaigning for Al on the Sunday afternoon show.

Jim G

He’s done a good job representing Minnesota. He has taken his responsibilities seriously and not embarrassed our state as his detractors had predicted. He has smartly tempered his natural inclination to poke fun at his adversaries in the Senate. When he speaks I feel that I’m listening to a real person and not being talked down to. I like Al.

Jeff

I’m not sure if I can point to a single piece of major legislation that Al Franken has passed or even proposed in the Senate. He voted for Obamacare and then railed against it (years later) when he found out about the medical device tax…maybe that would have been something he should have personally removed when he was the deciding vote for Obamacare. He is always in support of the President and I cannot think of a point in time when he spoke out against Obama. He always votes the way Democrats want him to vote, in the same way Klobuchar does…can anyone point to a single piece of legislation where Franken and Klobuchar voted differently? Franken has been a great Senator if you want a Democrat soldier who does as he’s told; he has been a failure at representing the people of Minnesota, having a mind of his own and pushing for responsible government.

I was in particular a fan of two of his legislative accomplishments in 2009, like the Jaime Leigh Jones amendment relating to sexual assault and government contractors.

Of course, that was opposed by the pro-rape, war on women Republicans.

McFadden might want to review this list of legislation as well – there is a lot of work here that benefits Minnesotans, and in particular some excellent education legislation.

I don’t get the impression that anyone ‘tells’ Al Franen what to do, but that fits the purity-test right wing thinking that requires lock-step conduct from politicians on the right, so it is understandable that conservatives project it onto others. It reflects a lack of imagination about other groups behaving differently that characterizes conservative thinking in MN.

Jeff

Thanks for proving my point; I think that you seriously believe “the pro-rape, war on women Republicans” is a real thing. I feel sorry for you, the opposing party is not evil and should not be treated as such…there are differences and we should discuss those but demonizing opponents should not be part of the discussion. After reviewing those bills, the vast, vast majority of them are fluff bills…much like the legislation Klobuchar proposes…it’s very instructive that you could not find a single piece of legislation where Franken and Klobuchar voted differently. This type of hollow legislation is handed off to all Senators, it takes real courage to propose bills on controversial issues…our Senators do not have that courage.

KTN

Which legislation would you like to see him introduce. Does every bill have to be controversial, or can some of them be mundane. This sentiment that Senators are in lock step with the President is valid, but I don’t think it is always bad. Blind allegiance notwithstanding, those in power control the day, and currently the Democrats have the power, so it makes sense our Senators vote with their party.

Jeff

I would like Franken to take risks and propose legislation he believes in. Most of the bills he proposes aren’t controversial here are just a few of his authored bills…making October principal month, funding for Vet services and STEM funding programs. Where’s his bill to increase Medicare taxes or to remove the Social Security cap or even increase the tax rate on SS taxes? Where is his bill to increase taxes on high income earners? Where is his bill to allow everyone to use Medicare? Where is his bill ban certain types of guns? Where is his bill to outlaw clip sizes greater than 10? Where is his bill to limit CEO or even oil company compensation? Franken has said he supports all of the issues I just mentioned…yet he takes no political risk to propose them because he’s from a purple state, he keeps his head down and keep proposing “feel good” legislation to maintain power.

Steve the Cynic

He’s not doing that because he’s a pragmatist and isn’t going to waste his time on projects that won’t go anywhere, unlike the Republican ideologues in the House who keep pointlessly voting to repeal Obamacare.

Jeff

Yeah, like the gun legislation in the Senate was going somewhere.

Sunshineman

Dude, just move to Russia, sounds like you will be happier.

GladImnolongerrepresentedbyhim

I thought he was most impressive when he was on TV asleep at the Supreme Court nomination hearings. At least he wasn’t running his mouth…

r

I like and support Al Franken. I’m not sure what all he’s done, but I know that if Republican Norm Coleman had won, Minnesota would be a cesspool.

Jerry Belle

WOW! You just summed up the left side of the political spectrum in Minnesota – “I’m not sure what all he’s done…” Remarkable. Just keep voting the same comedians into office, since they’re from your party. At least the rest of us know what he’s done so far – nothing.

Jim Beecher

Al’s doing very well, and will continue doing so after “Romney of the North” goes down next November.

Ross

I was pretty apathetic about him when he took office but he has gained my approval.

Hey Der

Jason Lewis would be a much better choice come November, 2014.

kevins

Both my wife and I are comfortable with Senator Franken…we even have a pic of him with three of our adult children taken when he visited a town nearby. We were not comfortable with his predecessor, feeling like we were often lied to. No such feeling with either of the current senators. We will actively support him again. As for major legislation passed, although that might be a meaningful metric, I wonder what the norm is for junior senators. Representing us with genuineness, maturity and tack in a world that can be full of histrionics, is highly valuable to us.

Grace Kelly

Extraordinarily, great, wonderful!

Cherry

Honestly, I was very wary of Al Franken when he got elected. I wasn’t at all sure that he would take his charge seriously and really work for Minnesotans. However, after seeing him in his new role, I believe his responsiblity as a legislator sits heavy on his shoulders. All through this first term, I have been pleasantly surprised at Senator Franken’s demeanor and diligence. I am pleased that he steps up to take care of the people in our state. He expresses regard for others that he is working with in Washington and seems to be someone who is working toward a good result for Minnesota and our country. Collaboration is nice to see. I didn’t think I would be convinced, but I think Al Franken is doing a great job.

diablo135

How so? I dunno. I was into thinking he might actually change things but he has mostly done sound bites with no actual improvement. I’ll see how I feel next time around

Michael

I can’t rate him. I don’t think he’s done enough yet and I don’t understand why he and Amy voted against labeling foods containing GMOs. Both he and Amy should be working to end the prohibition of hemp cannabis.

Chaz Green

Hilarious. Most of you people approve of Franken while at the same time admitting you know nothing about what he has accomplished for Minnesota. Let me give you a hint… NOTHING! This is standard, leftist idiocy. Congratulations. Now please crawl back under your rock. Losers.

Jerry Belle

A good candidate should be open to bi-partisanship. Al’s 2013 report card showed that of the 207 bills that he co-sponsored, only 10% were introduced by someone other than a Democrat; this places him in LAST place out of all Senators. He’s also among the lowest percentage of Senators for getting bills out of committee – Franken introduced only 2 measly bills and resolutions in 2013 that got a committee vote sending it to the floor for further consideration. He also is ranked very low for working with House members (which would guarantee a bill’s passage more often). Overall, Franken introduced 0 bills that became law in 2013. If you don’t do research on the candidate and only read the comments from his sheeple, you’d think he was doing a great job, but that’s simply not the case.